The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-02
DONE WITH LAREDO.
4 Mexican Mother and Her Child-Grasp-
ing Nature Of a Mexican Landlord.

Special Correspondence
LAREDO. Mexico, sept. 1.-The search
Of the writer and the little woman after
the picturesque led us the first morning
after our arrival i'm Laredo to walk around
the streets. and peer into houses I'm a way
which we would bitterly resent in any one
who came 10 our country for the same
purpose: but AS it IS a time honored Gus
tom OF American travellers, we undertook
Il bravely. though I must confess that |
felt half ashamed.
I did try 90 hire a guide, but as we
wanted 90 start ont long before any Of
those who served in that capacity were
awake or would rouse, we relied upon our
W wits and started out. We found sew
erai churches. tnt some Of them were so
old the little woman gathered up her
skirts in disgust and declared she wouldn't
enter. and the others were so new that
she decided they We're not worth seeing;
hut early as WAS the hour. there were
numbers Of Mexican women of all classes
going into or coming out of them, and
UNNnL ANNNNLED ~ ENNNNHA
that I thought beautiful. with lovely
dark eyes. luxuriant black hair and a SUI
perb walk, but my little woman declared
that their compilations were like old paste
and their forms ike COWS, so We dld not
quite agree. and turned our steps down q
narrow street where She o o uttered an
exclamation Of delight. She had ounda
baby II is astonishing what a sort Of Ma
sonic attraction a baby causes between
women. They don't know why. but 50 1t
is. and in "a moment the little Americana
was seated on a rude bench holding the
baby and talking Volapuk TO II. The
mother and baby both understood, and
both smiled with delight.
BY and by / suggested that she leave
the baby and come back 10 the hotel for
breakfast. but no; she was going TO
stay there and zee the hOuse-the
interiors: and she did. TIL shy
Mexican woman took her IN and
set her down on a cot made OF
rustic wood and rawhide, with wool mat
tresses and pillows, and with coverings OF
red satin. and these covered again with
that beautiful hand made lace which none
but these women can make. There were
three immense cam/hor wood trunks,
studded with brass nails, and from these
the woman took out piles Of snowy linen
undergarments, all deliberately worked N
exquisite patterns, some OF the work be
ing over a foot deep.
She made the visitors understand that
these were In part done by herself ana
part by her ancestors as far back AS four
generations. and she delighted the little
woman by making her a present OF a nap
kin with the coat Of arms Of Mexico
worked in this fashion, which IL done by
pulling ont threads and sewing others IN
so that the pattern is formed in open work.
The little woman retaliated by taking on
a gold lOcket and tying II around the
baby's neck.
While we were talking with her-I say
talking because we certainly all did talk,
though no one but the baby seemed to
take real comfort from the conversation
we heard the most unearthly shrieks and
screams and groans and shouts approach
ing. The little woman turned pale, but
the Mexican laughed, and as we neared
the door we saw an OK cart coming down
the III paved, dirty and deserted
street. II was Of the most PRINT
tive construction and the wheels were
simply sections Of logs with axles
Of wood. and these wheels turning
on those axles. which never heard Of
grease. made that awful noise, and the
drivers shouts 20 his oxen added the
touch Of the master. ,
We seized this occasion 20 leave and
went back 10 the hotel, having seen all
there wa in Laredo and finding 10 hardly
worlh the trouble. We asked for break
fast and found il wasn't customary But
we got some chocolate and bread, II AZ
noon got some soup, some mutton stewed
with peas. some beans boiled first, then
fried i'm suet, and some sweetmeats when
were very good We decided TO 20 on TO
Monterey that evening. and 50 asked Tor
u bill. The price was 81 a day for one
person. but $3.50 apiece for two because
II always makes more work for two h
me.
Laredo is a nice enough border town
but | think one appreciates II more the
further he gets away. The type IS dis.
tinctly Mexican, with just enough oil
Yankee about IL 10 spoil 1t for a Mexican
town, and not enough for a good Ameri'
can one. However, il may grow up VIII
the country II Texas develops as IL ought.
EDWARD Vuo.